F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round

The Highlands Conservation Act Base Funding Round (F25AS00379) is a grant program administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to support land conservation projects in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The program provides approximately 9,173,450 dollars in total funding, with each of the four eligible states able to request up to 2,293,362 dollars for the acquisition of land or interests in land from willing sellers. These projects must be located within the Highlands Region or an approved Highlands Expansion Opportunity Area and must focus on protecting natural resources of high conservation value, including water, forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, or cultural resources. Eligible applicants are designated Lead State Agencies, and awards are subject to a mandatory 1:1 non-Federal cost share. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov or GrantSolutions by October 31, 2026, and require registration in SAM.gov. The evaluation process includes pass/fail gates for project location and cost share, followed by a merit review based on high conservation value and alignment with Department of the Interior and administration priorities. Successful projects must be completed within four years of the award date, with award notices planned for September 2026. Eligible costs include land acquisition fees, conservation easements, and transaction costs such as UASFLA-compliant appraisals, surveys, title work, and environmental assessments. Recipients must adhere to federal regulations regarding American iron and steel, conflict of interest disclosures, and real property reporting.